Happy Birthday!!

It’s the 28th of February again. For those of you who know me well – and may you survive that fate – you may think of this as a day that lives in infamy. hehe

Yes, I’m that guy with the quirky, okay, if truth be told … annoying sense of so-called humor. Able to leap tall buildings in a single pun, outrunning speeding bullets with uncanny sarcasm, and able to snark (is that a verb, really??) daggers through walls.

Honestly, I haven’t typically gotten too excited about my birthdays, but for some reason in the past two or three years, I’ve started to actually enjoy them. And it’s not in a call attention to my self type of selfishness. It’s because I get the chance to interact with “my people” more than I might on a “regular” day.

As I’ve gotten more and more into social media, I’ve realized that I really LOVE to communicate and correspond with people through the written word. Now that I’ve gotten on Facebook – kicking and screaming, I might add (thank you, Kricket!), been actively writing and interacting through this blog and so many other blogs, wholeheartedly embraced Twitter (in the last few weeks), “plused” Google+, and have found this amazing family of writers on the interwebs, it has opened me up to a whole new world.

And what a fantastic world it is: There are those folks from years past, who (or is it whom, editors?) I’ve been able to reestablish old friendships with; and so many wonderful new friends from all walks of life and countries. If life is all about relationships, and I believe that it is, than I truly have a very rich life.

So, without dragging this out, my birthday wish is to continue to get to know you all, more and more each day, and share myself from the bottom of my heart.

Oh, and if you do want to send cake, cookies, ice cream, or really expensive gifts, you know where to find me:

TRULY famous people born February 28th:Actress Bernadette Peters is 64
Actor John Turturro is 55
Country singer Jason Aldean is 35
Singer Cindy Wilson (The B-52’s) is 55
Singer Pat Monahan of Train is 43
Actress Ali Larter (“Heroes”) is 36

Comments

Well happy birthday to you, friend! May the year be filled with new opportunities, new relationships and further appreciation for all that you already have. You seem pretty darn blessed, Mr. “America’s preeminent author/blogger.”

Hell: Let’s just call it “world’s preeminent author/blogger.”

And my gift to you: “Snark” is totally a word, as you undoubtedly know. However, I think you just made it a verb for the first time, which totally rocks. It’s ALSO punctuation — a backward question mark, sometimes call a “percontation point,” which indicates irony or sarcasm.

Sadly, however, a “snark” isn’t supported in your comment box…or else I could illustrate it for you, too.

You’re welcome. So much better than an expensive gift, right? Right? RIGHT?!?!

I will be raising a toast in your honor tonight. Hope you feel the love from the other side of the Sierras!

Today would be a good day to remind you of the real reason I RSSed shortly after your brush with Freshly Pressed fame. I know I’ve said this before, but something as important (to me ) as this warrants a repeat.

You were not just gracious with acknowledging all the praise that came your way, you also took the time to go to each commenter’s blog and pat them on the back with a comment on their blog. That right there, is nice. Sadly, it is not commonly found in today’s world. Love thy neighbour? Why, we cannot even be nice a lot of times!

So that is why, on your birthday, I would like to say ‘Thank You’ for being the nice person you are because I know it is very easy to be *not* nice in today’s frenzied world.

Here’s someone (else I do not know in person) who will sing for you on my behalf.

When I started this whole blogging thing, my goal was to just have fun and do some writing. I seriously had no idea that I would end up making so many cool connections with the best people in the world.

I quickly learned, though, that I really appreciated those who commented back when I said something on their blog. And my promise to myself was to respond in kind to anyone who did the same – IF I ever got anyone to 1) read my blog, or 2) actually comment on said blog I would respond to as many as possible.

Boy was I surprised when just about a month later, I was freshly pressed, and put to the test! That’s it. No secret, just to treat others with the same respect I would want.

You have done the same thing, except with so much more flair and charm. One of the truly kindest bloggers I have met!

Thank you so much, and I look forward to many more exchanges in the future!

Happy Birthday! Erm.. if you are 53 there was actually no chance of you being a leap day baby right? As in your birth year wasn’t a leap year. In the lunar calendar we have leap months, and the leap month isn’t always the same month. I don’t know how exactly is it calculated but because I was born on a “leap april” this year is the first time in my life I’m having a Chinese birthday. I didn’t even know about it till this year and all along I was wondering why everyone in the family gets special chinese birthday food on their chinese birthdays but not me. And of course, I digress again. You’re the star today!

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to MJ!!!!
Happy birthday to you

Hey MJ – I look forward to following your blog. My 8 year old son was born on Feb. 28th but he is only famous if you count that he’s a distant relative of someone who once appeared on Captain Kangaroo.

Thanks for the shout out! I take full responsibility for getting you on FB but you have to “blame” someone else for starting you on the blogging. I read blogs but I don’t wrote them.
Happy Birthday again and I hope you enjoyed us talking about your Pumpkin Cheesecake that no one actually made or bought. Its the thought that counts, right?

Ah, man! I missed it! Happy belated birthday to you, MJ!! I have a box full of snow all ready to be shipped out to you. I have to tell you that you are one of the most genuinely considerate bloggers (and, of course, hysterically funny) I’ve come across, you are always so positive…hell, even the snark is positive. Hehe. But I will never get the hang of twitter. I curse twitter!

No problem, D-Woww. I strive to be as funny as you. The pedestal I have you on is pretty high. I’m down below somewhere at the bottom of the birdcage looking up! But, thank you for the comments. It seriously means so much to me since you were one of the first really funny writers I met when I started this here blog-a-doodle-thingy. Whenever I read your stuff, my puppy always looks at me like I’m crazy – because of the out load laughter.

I am so flattered, MJ. Thank you, seriously, what a nice thing to say. I often wonder if people really think I’m funny or if they’re just humoring me.

I will try not to curse the twit. I know it has its benefits.

The job was a bust. They gave it to someone else (who happened to already be working in the school..typical!) I had a short term gig working with an autistic student. Now I am back one the job hunt. (wahhh….) thanks for asking.

My friend, Happy Birthday! Your post is truly inspiring. 53 wonderful years with more amazing stories, events and experiences ahead. I’m turning 41 next month….they say it’s suppose to be a mid life crisis phase, I say it’s the beginning of better things to come. As I get older, I want to celebrate life more to the fullest…to embrace happiness like its life itself….I wish you all the love, joy, peace and great health today and everyday.

Thank you, my IT friend. You are always so very kind. What’s the date of your b-day?
I heard a speaker say that, “The rest of your life, should be the Best of your life.” I love that line. Here’s to the rest of your life, my friend!!

Sorry I’m late with birthday wishes for you, Michael. I hope you had a fantastic day. I’ve celebrated the anniversary of my 39th birthday for the umteenth time … and each time brings a new delight. What keeps me – and you – young is the curiousity and joy we find in life. A very merry un-birthday to you each and every day.

Hey mj sorry I missed this but better late than never…Happy Birthday my friend and homemade cake and marmalade on it’s way (if only)…hope you had a good one and this is definately going to be an interetsing year for you x